NEW YORK, March 11 (UPI) — Monday is the last day to buy an oversize sugared drink in New York City, with a 16-ounce limit on drinks to go into effect Tuesday.
Restaurants, street carts and coffee venues spent the weekend preparing for the new regulation, which bans sale of sugar-enhanced drinks in large containers, CBS News reported Monday.
“It’s going to hurt my business,” said Mary Cira of Pronto Pizza, who said she discarded 20-ounce and two-liter bottles of soda and will have to reprint menus.
Movie theaters will have to accommodate the new rules, and Russell Evanson of Movie World noted cups his theater uses are too big.
Dunkin’ Donuts and other establishment have posted fliers explaining the complex new law, meant to discourage obesity.
The regulation applies to sugary drinks, both bottled and fountain varieties, but exempts grocery or convenience stores that do not serve prepared foods. It also does not apply to diet sodas, other calorie-free drinks or any drink that is at least 50 percent milk, CBS News noted.
New Yorkers are divided on the issue, a Quinnipiac University Polling Institute survey released last week indicated, showing 46 percent approved of the law and 51 percent opposed it.
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